Bonita Marie Sanchez

Albany, NY-Bonita Marie Sanchez passed away peacefully on Sunday, May 25th, 2025, at Albany Medical Center Hospital. Born in Chicago, Illinois on October 18th, 1947, Bonita was preceded in death by her husband, William J. Silverman, parents Boniface and Mary Sanchez, brother Joe Sanchez. Surviving Bonita are sisters Gloria Lindahl, Michelle Sanchez, Kelly Michael, Valerie Sanchez Lucco, Lisa Sanchez and brothers Duane Kelly, Alan Kelly, and her son Willie Sanchez. Relatives and friends are invited to visit with Bonita’s family Friday, June 6, 2025 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm at McVeigh Funeral Home, 208 North Allen Street, Albany, NY 12206. A Prayer Service will begin at 6:00 pm. Please enter the funeral home from the rear parking lot entrance only. Bonita graduated from Illinois Wesleyan with her bachelor's degree. Later, she attended the University at Albany and obtained her master's degree in social work. Early in her professional career Bonita made her mark working with those less privileged and later helped to shape the next generation of social workers through her employment at Siena College and for over 25 years at the University at Albany School of Social Work as the field coordinator for the graduate social work program. After her retirement she stayed active with the social work graduate program by becoming a student liaison because working with students and helping them learn is what she really loved to do. She also served as treasurer for the NYS chapter of the National Association Social Workers, was on the board of Living Resources, and was president of the Whitehall Station Homeowners Association. She enjoyed going to the symphony, attending plays at the capital rep or proctors, bowling, eating out with friends and family, and watching movies, especially when the Oscars were approaching, Bonita would make sure to watch every nominated movie so she could make sure they got the voting right. However, what she enjoyed most was not the activities she participated in but the people who were part of her life. Bonita could light up a room with her smile, make a joke even funnier with her laugh, and she had an uncanny ability to make every person in her life feel special, loved, and at ease when things got rough because she was the calm in the storm, dedicated to helping anyone in any way that she could. Her spirit will live on in so many people and she will be sorely missed but never forgotten. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Living Resources Foundation at 300 Washington Avenue Ext. Albany, NY 12203-7303. To leave a message for the family please visit www.McveighFuneralHome.com

Tributes

Bonita Marie Sanchez

October 18, 1947 - May 25, 2025